Liquid transporting tank for tank cars

ABSTRACT

A liquid transporting tank for tank cars which has a first pipe for introducing liquid into the bottom of the tank car and a second pipe for removing liquid from the top of the tank car. Hoses interconnect the outlet pipe of a preceding car to the inlet pipe of a subsequent car so that both cars may be filled through the inlet to the preceding car.

United States Patent Ogawa 151 3,675,670 [451 July 11,1972

LIQUID TRANSPORTING TANK FOR TANK CARS Osamu Ogawa, Utsunomiya-shi.Tochigi. Japan Assignee: Fugi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Filed: July 16, I970 Appl.No.: 55,547

Inventor:

Foreign Application Priority Date Nov. 14, 1969 Japan ..44/91254 ..Fl7d1/00 ..l37/l 57$ [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [126,5293/1969 Lichtenberger et a1. I 37/575 X 1,150,269 8/1915Heuling;................... ...137/$75 X 1,627,574 5/1927 Phillippi137/575 2,186,723 1/1940 Harr eta] ..137/575 Primary Examiner-Henry T.Klinksiek Atlomey-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion. Zinn & Macpeak ABSTRACT Aliquid transporting tank for tank cars which has a first pipe forintroducing liquid into the bottom of the tank car and a second pipe forremoving liquid from the top of the tank car, Hoses interconnect theoutlet pipe of a preceding car to the inlet pipe of a subsequent car sothat both cars may be filled through the inlet to the preceding car.

4 China, 7 Drawing figures PATENTEDJUL 1 1 I972 sum 1 or 2 INVENTOR-OSAMU OGAWA wwgz ATTOEA/G Y5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, theloading and unloading of liquid to and from tank cars was carried outseparately at each of the cars. Accordingly separate operations havebeen necessary at each of the cars, including the transfer of the carspast the loading dock. Moreover, in loading of liquid into tank cars, ithas been necessary to check each 'car with a level gauge to see if theprescribed quantity has been loaded. Also, a liquid discharging pipe, adischarge valve, an operating means therefor, a sluice valve, and alarge number of parts associated therewith was required for each of thecars.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the present invention toeliminate these conventional disadvantages, and to simplify the tank forliquid transportation.

It is another object of the present invention to load and unload a largenumber of tank cars in a single operation.

The invention will be described with respect to one embodiment referringto the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show theembodiment according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is afront view of the tank car, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the tank, FIG.3 is a side elevation explaining an example which is in operation, FIG.4 is a view explaining the loading of liquid FIG. 5 is a view explainingthe unloading of liquid, and FIG. 6 shows the present invention appliedto a liquid container in which (A) is a side elevation of the container,and (B) is a side elevation explaining its operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The symbol T in FIG. I designatesa tank of the tank car. Liquid is loaded into the tank T from the pipe Ethrough the opening B at the bottom portion of the tank.

When the liquid reaches to the opening C of a pipe F at the upperportion of the tank, the space in the tank above C level is kept as anempty space for the tank car, and the liquid is delivered through thepipe F to outlet D. By connecting outlet D of the pipe F with an inlet Aof a pipe E of the following tank by means of a hose I, liquid is filledsuccessively, beginning from the left end of the tank cars, from a basetank G or a tanker or the like through hose H, to a plurality of tankcars as shown in FIG. 3. The air driven from the tank cars duringloading is discharged from outlet J of the rearmost tank car (see FIG.3).

By means of a measuring rod Klas shown in FIG. 2), it is possible toconfirm whether the rearmost tank car is loaded with a predeterminedquantity of liquid.

When the loading of all the cars is finished, H portion of the foremostcar and J portion of the rearmost car are closed with blind covers.

If necessary, each of the tank cars are equipped with ball valves or thelike at portions E, F as shown in FIG. 2.

As described above, according to the present invention, loadingoperation becomes extremely simple, and the separate loading of anindividual tank car is omitted. Also, no transfer operation is necessaryfor respective tank cars past the position where the loading equipmentis installed. Furthermore, according to the present invention, theloading operation can conveniently be effected even when the lengths ofrespective cars are different.

When it is desired to unload the tank cars the blind covers are removed,and an air pressure or the like is applied at D as shown in FlG. 5. Thiscauses the liquid to be discharged from A through a sump L, pipes B andE. This unloading operation can be effected equally for a single car aswell as for two or more cars coupled successively.

In this manner, the unloading operation can be simplified similar to thecase of the loading.

By utilizing such a kind of tanks, it is possible to reduce the cost ofthe tank cars, the cost of installation of the base, and the personalexpenses.

The present invention can be applied not only for the tank cars, butalso for handling a large number of containers.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the present invention when it is applied tocontainers. The function and the effect thereof are similar to the aboveexamples, but in this case, since the transportation is effected forsmall-lot users, it is possible to unload the containers immediately atthe arrival station by means of an outlet M provided on the underside ofthe tank vessel.

I claim:

1, A tank car for transporting measured volumes of liquid comprising:

a wheeled vehicle supporting a tank,

a protrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof,

a first pipe extending vertically within said tank with its open endterminating within said protrusion, said opening being coplanar with thetank bottom,

a second pipe projecting vertically through the top of said tank, nearthe center thereof, with its open end terminating near the top of saidtank,

a source of liquid,

means for connecting said source of liquid to said first pipe,

a discharge reservoir and means for connecting said discharge reservoirto said second pipe,

whereby; liquid is introduced into said tank by said first pipe, risesto the level of said second pipe horizontal elongated and passes throughsaid second pipe to said discharge reservoir after filling apredetermined.

volume of liquid within said tank car, and whereby a compressed gas maybe introduced into said second pipe to force liquid from said tank carthrough said first pipe to essentially insure maximum volume of liquidbeing introduced into said tank car during filling and complete removalof the same during discharge.

2. The liquid transporting tank car as claimed in claim 1, wherein saiddischarge reservoir constitutes a second identically formed tank,whereby; liquid introduced into said first tank car will fill that tankto the level of the second pipe whence liquid will then be introducedinto the first pipe of the second tank car. 3. A method of loadingliquid into a plurality of relatively movable and separately inclinableidentically formed tank cars, each of which transports measured volumesof liquid, each having a horizontal, elongated tank, a protrusion withinthe bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a first pipe extendingvertically within said tank and terminating within said protrusion suchthat the opening thereof is coplanar with the tank bottom and a secondpipe projects vertically through the top of said tank near the centerthereof with its open end terminating near the top of the tank andhaving the second pipe of the leading tank coupled to the first pipe ofthe following tank by flexible hydraulic connection, said methodcomprising the steps of:

introducing liquid into the first pipe of the first of said plurality oftanks, until liquid fills all of said tanks, and venting the rearmosttank to the atmosphere through the second pipe thereof.

4. A method of unloading liquid from a plurality of separatelyinclinable relatively movable series connected tank cars which transportmeasured volumes of liquid, each of said tank cars including ahorizontal elongated tank a protrusion within the bottom of said tank atthe center thereof, a first pipe extending vertically within said tankand terminating within said protrusion with the opening thereof coplanarwith the tank bottom and a second pipe projecting vertically through thetop of said tank near the center thereof with its open end terminatingnear the top of said tank to determine the volume of measured liquidcarried thereby, flexible hydraulic connections existing between thesecond pipes of the first and succeeding tanks and the first pipe of thetanks next succeeding them, said method comprising the steps of:

introducing pneumatic pressure into the second pipe of the last tank ofsaid series of tanks and communicating the first pipe of said tank mostremote from the tank receiving initially the pneumatic pressure to adischarge reservoir.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 36Y5,6?O Dated July 11, 1972 Inventor(s) Osamu Ogawa It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Cancel columns 1, 2, 3 and L bearing Patent No. 3,675,570

and substitute the attached columns 1, 2, 3 and LL.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of April 19714..

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHEB, JR Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner ofPatents FORM PO-105O (IO-69] USCOMM DC nosnhpug 1 us, GOVUINMENY rnmvmcorrlcs 195a o-au-ss4.

1. A tank car for transporting measured volumes of liquid comprising: awheeled vehicle supporting a horizontal elongated tank, a protrusionwithin the bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a first pipeextending vertically within said tank with its open end terminatingwithin said protrusion, said opening being coplanar with the tankbottom, a second pipe projecting vertically through the top of saidtank, near the center thereof, with its open end terminating near thetop of said tank, a source of liquid, means for connecting said sourceof liquid to said first pipe, a discharge reservoir and means forconnecting said discharge reservoir to said second pipe, whereby; liquidis introduced into said tank by said first pipe, rises to the level ofsaid second pipe and passes through said second pipe to said dischargereservoir after filling a predetermined volume of liquid within saidtank car, and whereby a compressed gas may be introduced into saidsecond pipe to force liquid from said tank car through said first pipeto essentially insure maximum volume of liquid being introduced intosaid tank car during filling and complete removal of the same duringdischarge.
 2. The liquid transporting tank car as claimed in claim 1,wherein said discharge reservoir constitutes a second identically formedtank, whereby; liquid introduced into said first tank car will fill thattank to the level of the second pipe whence liquid will then beintroduced into the first pipe of the second tank car.
 3. A method ofloading liquid into a plurality of relatively movable and separatelyinclinable identically formed tank cars, each of which transportsmeasured volumes of liquid, each having a horizontal, elongated tank, aprotrusion within the bottom of said tank at the center thereof, a firstpipe extending vertically within said tank and terminating within saidprotrusion such that the opening thereof is coplanar with the tankbottom and a second pipe projects vertically through the top of saidtank near the center thereof with its open end terminating near the topof the tank and having the second pipe of the leading tank coupled tothe first pipe of the following tank by flexible hydraulic connection,said method comprising the steps of: introducing liquid into the firstpipe of the first of said plurality of tanks, until liquid fills all ofsaid tanks; and venting the rearmost tank to the atmosphere through thesecond pipe thereof.
 4. A method of unloading liquid from a plurality ofseparately inclinable relatively movable series connected tank Carswhich transport measured volumes of liquid, each of said tank carsincluding a horizontal elongated tank, a protrusion within the bottom ofsaid tank at the center thereof, a first pipe extending verticallywithin said tank and terminating within said protrusion with the openingthereof coplanar with the tank bottom and a second pipe projectingvertically through the top of said tank near the center thereof with itsopen end terminating near the top of said tank to determine the volumeof measured liquid carried thereby, flexible hydraulic connectionsexisting between the second pipes of the first and succeeding tanks andthe first pipe of the tanks next succeeding them, said method comprisingthe steps of: introducing pneumatic pressure into the second pipe of thelast tank of said series of tanks and communicating the first pipe ofsaid tank most remote from the tank receiving initially the pneumaticpressure to a discharge reservoir.